ChoreMonster keeps household duties fun

Parents need to know that ChoreMonster uses silly (and a bit obnoxious) monsters to motivate and reward kids for doing chores. The mobile app integrates with the website or can be used alone. Parents will need to invest some thought and time into setting up accounts for themselves and each child, and then set up chores and rewards.

When kids log on, they'll see how many chores they have to complete that day and then check them off with a thumbs-up once they've completed them. Parents then receive an email or push notification to approve the chore. Parents and multiple kids can work from the same device.

In addition to working toward goals they set, kids are also rewarded for each chore they complete with a spin at the Monster Carnival. They can win a monster to add to their virtual collection or laugh at their silly consolation prize (like a rotten potato or bag of hammers).

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ChoreMonster is a virtual chore chart that lets kids see daily chores, complete them, and mark them off. Parents then approve the chores, and kids earn points toward a predetermined reward and get to spin the wheel at the Monster Carnival to win virtual monster prizes. Parents can add pictures of the chores to help non-readers, and kids just tap the thumbs up when they've completed the task. Parents can set chores to be automatically approved, to receive push notifications when chores are completed, or to receive emails.

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IS IT ANY GOOD?

Though the initial set-up is time consuming, it's no more tedious than creating a paper chore chart, and the interactive experience is more motivating for kids. The parent interface is quite different from the kids' interface, and it's easy to switch back and forth between them for families sharing a device. Since the app integrates perfectly with the website, parents may find it easier to work on the web while kids use the mobile app.

Adding customized photos is really easy for the app and would help younger kids recognize their chores - include a picture of their toys all put away in the right place as the image for "pick up your toys." Other options are pretty customizable.

Parents can choose from a list of common chores (brush your teeth, make your bed, clean your room, water plants, set the table, etc.) or they can enter a custom chore, and they can assign a point value to it, schedule it for a certain day or time, and even schedule it to repeat weekly, monthly, or on certain days. The Monster Carnival adds some silly fun and motivates kids to do another chore to get another spin. ChoreMonster is a handy, fun tool to help families get organized and kids get motivated.

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RATING AND CONTENT

Recommended for ages 6 and older

Quality: 4 out of 5

Learning: 4 out of 5

Ease of play: 3 out of 5

Violence and scariness: 1 out of 5

Sexy stuff: 0 out of 5

Language: 1 out of 5

Drinking, drugs, and smoking: 0 out of 5

Privacy and safety: 3 out of 5

Consumerism: 1 out of 5 (Are products/advertisements embedded? Is the title part of a broader marketing initiative/empire? Is the intent to sell things to kids?)

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WHAT KIDS CAN LEARN

Self-Direction

Collaboration

Responsibility and ethics

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APP DETAILS

Devices: iPhone, iPod, iOS, Android

Price: Free

Release date: April 18, 2014

Category: Education

Size: 24.00 MB

Publisher: ChoreMonster

Minimum software requirements: iOS 6.0 or later

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